As of 1000 UTC, Race 1 leader LMAX Exchange is only 36 nautical miles
from the finish line. Sailing at an average of 7.5 knots speed over ground it is expected to cross the finish line around 1500 UTC (1200 local time) and arrive into Marina da Gloria, Rio de Janeiro, half an hour later.

Following Garmin’s decision to go into Stealth Mode, it remains in fifth
position but three other members of the following pack have also decided to
exercise their right to go under the radar ahead of their final approach. GREAT Britain, currently in fourth
place, was three nautical miles behind Derry~Londonderry~Doire
when it went into Stealth Mode at 0000 UTC. Second placed Qingdao did the same at 0600 UTC and Derry~Londonderry~Doire has declared its intent to follow suit at
1200 UTC.

When a team decides to use
Stealth Mode (a tactic that allows it to become invisible to the rest of the
fleet and Race Viewer for 24-48 hours depending on the race) it sends a request
to the Race Office. The Race Team then enter the details on an automated
system, a bit like setting an alarm clock, and the Communications Team post the
details on the Clipper Race Twitter
and Facebook
timelines. This morning at 0300 UTC when the details of Derry~Londonderry~Doire’s request to go into Stealth Mode at 1200
UTC were entered into the Race Viewer, a bug in the system put any team that
had ever activated Stealth Mode previously ie. Garmin and IchorCoal,
back in Stealth Mode. This has all been rectified and until 1200 UTC only GREAT Britain and Qingdao will show in Stealth Mode, after that they will be joined
by Derry~Londonderry~Doire.

Meanwhile, making the most of
the steady Trade Winds off the South Atlantic high, Visit Seattle, Clipper
Telemed+ and PSP Logistics are
all in the Ocean Sprint course between 5 degrees south and 10 degrees south.
Each of them hoping to record the fastest time for the sprint which would
result in an extra two points. Currently the time to beat was set by Qingdao at 30 hours and 11 minutes but Visit Seattle Skipper Huw Fernie is
hoping his team can beat that:

“We're
ocean sprinting today, so we are all trying our best to keep Visit Seattle moving as fast as
possible. It’s easy in heavy winds, but a lot harder when the winds drop off.
Still, if you can learn anything from Skipper Igor Gotlibovych and his team on Qingdao it's that we also need to
maintain the intensity; so there has been a little less sleep than usual and a
good amount of focus on the trim of the boat too. With just 60 miles left on
this Ocean Sprint section we have until lunch time today to get across the
line.”

LMAX Exchange has rounded Cabo Frio
and thereby missed the small front forecast to come in on Saturday morning,
bringing with it some squall activity and a change in wind direction from what
has generally been north-easterly to south or south-westerly. With the finish
line in sight, LMAX Exchange Skipper
Olivier Cardin says the team have been enjoying some fast sailing:

“Yesterday
was a surfing day under our heavyweight spinnaker and more than 30 knots of
wind. All the team was happy to feel some extreme speed sensations. Leg 1 crew
member Jens Augustinsson took the opportunity to set the new speed record for
this leg at 26.2 knots.”

LMAX Exchange is expected to reach
Race Finish today with the estimated arrival times for the rest of the fleet as
follows: